Sinking Ships
by NothingNooneZero
Summary: Her initial impression of the famed Star Spangled Hero wasn't the greatest. Her head hurt and now she was being blamed for the Man out of Time's actions. No good can come this, she thought to herself.


Sinking Ships: An Avengers Fanfiction

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own - 'Avengers' nor any Marvel Superheroes/Villains/Alter Egos etc. If I did, oh the fun I would have.

"I can't let you do this Steve." She had tears streaming down her face as she yelled at the man before. "I can't lose you too."

"I'm getting him back, Peggy. He's alive out there; I know he is." Steve Rogers, or Captain America as he was widely known, pulled the distressed woman into his arms and held her tight. "It'll be alright Peggs, okay? You listen to me now: I'll go out there and come back and you can be sure that your husband will be back before you in one piece." Margaret 'Peggy' Carter let out a choked sob. Her cousin was too much of a noble man, too loyal to just leave a comrade behind, no matter the stakes.

"I've lost my husband, Steve. That's more family than I can handle. I can't...I just, I can't." Peggy held onto the man as if he were her lifeline.

"I promise I'll come back and you know I never break my promises." He placed a hand on her head, ruffling her hair: a familiar gesture that was always used in greetings between the two. "You be good while I'm gone. Oh, and if I'm running a little late, tell Ma that she's got nothing to worry about." He moved from the embrace, standing to attention and then he was gone.

"Dear Lord in Heaven, keep them safe. Keep them both safe." Peggy whispered, her hands clasped together. "Please don't let him be dead. Please let him be found. Please return them to me. I'll do anything." Her desperate pleas would haunt her dreams forever.

''

"Did I ask for your opinion Agent Elle?" Director Fury was living up to his namesake as he glared at the petite woman before him. "'Cause I don't recall asking you anything. Now, shut up or leave."

"With all due respect, Director, you're an idiot." The five foot nothing woman glowered up at the Director. "He's going to know something's off and then he's going to show us exactly what made him so famous. Oh, and just in case I'm not present to witness his awakening, I told you so."

"Leave Agent. Now!" Elle did as the Director asked, removing herself from the makeshift nineteen forties army infirmary. It wasn't long after that alarms were sounding throughout the S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters.

''

"Excuse me Sir?" The blonde man whipped his head around, facing the woman. Elle put her hands up. "I mean you no harm, truly. You have woken from a deep sleep that was induced by the ice that your plane crashed into. You've been in hibernation for almost seventy years due to the effects of the Super Soldier Serum. The year is two thousand and twelve. I apologise for the idiotic actions of my superiors but there was no way to stop them."

"Who are you Ma'am?"

"I am Agent Elle. I work for the freelance security operative known as S.H.I.E.L.D. We operate beyond the government to ensure the safety of Earth and its people."

Steve stood there, trying to understand everything the woman was saying. He'd been asleep for almost seventy years? Preserved in ice? He was alive after all of that? Where the hell was he now? What happened with the war? Did they find Bucky? Where was Peggy? What about the rest of his family? The rest of the Howling Commandos? What happened to HYDRA? He was broken from his thoughts as Agent Elle spoke again.

"It's more than a lot to take in and I know it's unbelievable. Unfortunately, Captain, it is the truth." The Captain's breathing started to get heavier, his face reflecting the inner turmoil he felt. He started to shake his head, calming himself down before he squared up and lunged, pushing the woman to the floor and fleeing the corridor without a word. Elle rubbed at her head and slowly stood up, rolling her eyes. Of course he would run. Who wouldn't?

''

"You are not putting this on me Director. I warned you but did you listen? No. This is _your_ fault. Man up Fury, or is that a little too much for you? Huh Director?"

"Fourteen Agents are now in the infirmary sitting pretty-"

"I wouldn't say they were sitting pretty." Fury glared at her again.

"- and you could have stopped that from happening."

"In case you may have forgotten, Director, I'm not exactly a match for a Soldier, let alone a super one."

"You have powers that could have stopped him, Agent!" Elle was not in the mood to be chastised for not using her abilities. Who the hell did this man think he was?

"Who the hell do you think you are?" She questioned out loud. "He's an innocent, Director, and as you're always harping on about: innocents are not to be targeted unless it is to save their lives."

"You know he is a threat."

"Only because you made him one." Fury had now advanced upon the woman, towering above her and looking down at her as if she were nothing but scum. Her gaze never wavered as she met his stare straight on.

"You will go and you will apologise to those Agents for betraying them."

"Betraying?! No. No! _You_ can go down there and _you_ can apologise for remaining ignorant and for refusing to listen to reason because _you_ have a complex. I'm out of here. Please refrain from attempting to contact me in any way, shape or form. See ya!" The woman disappeared into thin air and the Nick Fury let out a scream of frustration.

''

Phillip Coulson was not a happy man. After billionaire Tony Stark announced to the world that he was Iron Man, he had been swimming in paperwork. If the astronomical amounts of copious paperwork hadn't been enough, he had been informed that an Agent, his favourite Agent, went AWOL and had attacked Nick Fury, the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. He pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a breath.

"I'm a traitor now." The man jumped, knocking over a large stack of meticulously filed paper, clutching at his chest as he turned to face the woman. Elle let out a laugh as she rectified the accident, the paper reassembling and returning to its rightful place. "Give you a fright, did I?"

"Jesus Elle! What the hell happened with the Director?"

"I didn't attack him, but I will. Does anyone honestly believe him anyway?"

"No, no they don't."

"This is the seventh time I've turned traitor. I guess it's like 'The boy who cried wolf'."

"More of a, 'We all know he hates you and would murder you', type of thing." Elle shared a laugh with the man she saw as family.

"So what's on the to-do list today?" Phil gestured to the chaos around him. "Yeah, Tony Stark has really pissed off many of the S.H.I.E.L.D personnel. Though you've got to admit, he is funny. Oh, have you gone and met the love of your life yet? I heard that he finally calmed down enough to get the full story of what happened to him and what not."

"He isn't the love of my life, Elle." She rolled her eyes at his denial. "And no one is allowed to see him for another week."

"Why not?"

"He needs to be caught up on the basics of the twenty first century. I heard you've met him though. What was he like? Did you talk with him? Is he everything that I hoped he would be?" Phil stopped when he felt a blush make its way to his cheeks, looking down to hide it.

"You're Captain's a strong fellow. He pushed me so I'm going to reserve judgement for a later date."

"You mean he actually touched you?"

"Phil, sweetie, is that all you got from that? Not 'Someone assaulted my dearest Elle!'. Aren't you going to fight for my honour?"

"What honour, Elle?"

"Ooooh, you're a cruel, cruel man Uncle Phil." The banter between the two came to halt as a knock sounded throughout the man's office.

"I know she's in there, Agent Coulson. Tell that woman that she needs to be in my Office by the time I get there." Phil looked to Elle, who nodded her head in consent.

"She'll be there Director."

"Good, 'cause she won't like the consequences if she doesn't." There was silence for a moment.

"Please don't do anything more to upset him."

"I upset the man by existing, Phil. There isn't much I can do that won't push the asshole over the edge. I'll drop by later. If I'm still alive, that is."

"Don't talk like that." Phil said, running a hand over his face. The possibility of an accident occurring which resulted in her death was an all too plausible scenario.

''

"Agent Elle, meet Steve Rogers."

"I'm sorry, Ma'am, for the way I behaved that day. I didn't hurt you did I?" The man was about as sincere as honey was sweet. However, he had pushed her onto the floor and that nasty bump to the noggin demanded some form of justice.

"Of course you didn't Captain. I woke up two days ago and felt absolutely fine." Steve's face had morphed to one of horror. This was the first time he'd seen the woman in the last seven days. "I'm joking, Captain. Calm down. There's nothing to apologise for. You're confused and displaced and I should have known better then to try and tell you what had happened. _I'm_ sorry if you've lost any sleep feeling guilty or something of the sorts. What's done is done and you have my forgiveness if that's what you need to move past this." Steve sent her a shy, uncertain smile before his attention was back on the Director.

"You've been nothing but a bane to my existence, Agent, but I need your assistance. You will be tutoring Captain Rogers. We need him to be able to navigate through life with relative ease."

"Knowledge is power but with power comes great responsibility." Fury glared at her again.

"Be quiet Agent. Speak only when spoken to."

"Yes Sir!" She gave him a lazy salute. She then turned to the Captain. "Will you be comfortable with me tutoring you, Mister Rogers?"

"He will be fine, Agent Elle. Everything you need to cover is in the books that have been delivered to the Captain's quarters. Dismissed." Elle nodded. Steve acknowledged the Director with a nod of his head as well and made for the door. He held it open for Elle and followed behind her, watching her closely. She was tense; angry. He wasn't entirely sure if it was directed towards himself or not.

"You've been put up on the twenty third floor, correct?"

"Yes Ma'am."

"Wonderful."

''

"I believe Director Fury wanted me to learn everything in a specific order, Ma'am." Elle turned to face the Soldier who was now seated at his table.

"What's this, what does it do and how does it work?" Elle asked, pointing to the microwave.

"It's, uh, a box and it has a door and some buttons-"

"And you have no idea what it is, what it does or how to use it." Steve looked away, ashamed that he was unable to identify the odd contraption. "Don't look or feel like you're stupid, Mister Rogers. You're from an era where these everyday appliances did not exist. I can't imagine how hard it's been, this last week, for you. This is called a microwave: it heats and cooks food. The large button at the bottom," she pointed to said button, "will open the microwave. You place your food inside, on a microwave friendly plate," she paused, "that means it's allowed to go in the microwave and it won't break, and then you enter the amount of time you want it to be in there using the numbers on the side here."

The two spent the entire day using the various appliances in the house. She gave him a rundown on how to use the weird showering device, how to properly cook food in the microwave, how to use the electric kettle, the mobile and the computer.

"And this, this is a television. It acts like an in-home movie theatre. Nowadays you are able to watch moving films and it's as if you're watching the people and they're there in the room with you." She turned it on. "There are many genres: horror, comedy, action, romance, anime, science-fiction; so many. Though you must be careful, Mister Rogers. Censorship is nothing like it used to be back in the forties. Woman wear the most scandalous clothes, if you can even consider it clothing, displays of public affection are normal to witness and sometimes people tend to do things that really should be kept behind doors and-" She stopped as she realised the man before her had turned red and had averted his gaze, not only from the television but from her. She raised an eyebrow before turning back to the screen and nearly laughed aloud. Advertisements for a saucy reality T.V. show was playing, displaying exactly what Elle had been talking about. She switched the machine off. "I didn't realise. Sorry Mister Rogers." Steve still couldn't face her and made a small sound that she took for acceptance and forgiveness.

''

Steve Rogers was, for the first time since he was defrosted, finally feeling in control. The last three months had him learning all about the world around him and he was absolutely amazed at the wealth of knowledge that took the form of a woman by the name of Elle. He admired her. She was so patient with him, so kind and she went above and beyond his expectations and her own orders and now he was blushing like a school boy again. The man couldn't help it though. He had learned many a thing about the world around him, but he also learnt all about the small woman who had been delegated to be his teacher.

"Steve? Are you okay?" Steve blinked rapidly and shook his head. "You sort of spaced out for a moment there." He smiled sheepishly up at her.

"Sorry Ellie."

"No problem at all. I think we'll call it a day though." He was now looking a little confused.

"It's only one." He said, looking towards the clock. She usually stayed until five; sometimes she'd even stay for dinner.

"I've got to meet with the Director in a few moments, remember?"

"Right." He said, nodding. "Will you be back?"

"It depends on what the man wants." Steve's face was neutral at the moment. He didn't feel comfortable allowing Elle to be in the same room with a man who blatantly despised her. She wasn't safe. "If you hear a knock on the door, it'll be me."

"Be safe Ellie."

"I'm not afraid of the Director but thanks for the sentiment Steve." She saluted him and disappeared. Steve would never get used to the fact that the woman could turn in to thin air, literally. When she first did it, he freaked out a little… okay he freaked out a lot. She explained to him that she was born an Elemental: a person with the ability to manipulate the four main elements, that being the ability to control fire, water, earth and air. It was amazing. She hadn't learnt to control all the elements though. She specialized in air and fire: a deadly attack combination if ever he saw one. She'd taken him, on a few occasions, to her own little training field and he watched as she annihilated everything in her path. She'd passed out the first time he was there, pushing herself to her limits and Steve thought she had killed herself. He smiled and chuckled at that memory.

The twenty-first century was an odd one but he didn't mind it all too much. Of course, he missed his comrades, his best friend, his cousin, his family and now Steve was deeply immersed in the past.

''

Fury had thrown a small pile of folders down on the table.

"You will go to these people and you will convince them to join the organisation." Elle picked up the files and began flipping through them.

"A Russian Spy, an Archer with amazing eyesight who is also a spy, a man who turns into a lean, green fighting machine and Iron Man? Okay then, no problem at all. Be back by dinnertime." She said to the man, her voice coated in a thick layer of sugary sarcasm.

"Complete the mission Agent. You begin now!"

"What about Ste-"

"This is your only mission now. Dismissed."

''

 _In Soviet Russia_

"How did you find me?"

"I have a very particular set of skills." Elle said with a completely serious expression on her face. "The Director of S.H.I.E.L.D wants you back on the team Miss Romanoff."

"When will I be expected?"

"He expects everybody to magically appear after I've spoken to you."

"Is he still out for your blood Little Ellie?"

"Of course he is Tash. Would you please contact the little Birdy and let him know that he, too, has been summoned?"

"Not a problem."

"I'll see you at Headquarters sometime then."

''

 _Somewhere in the jungles of India_

"Excuse me, Doctor Banner. I apologies for turning up unannounced, uninvited and unwanted. I'm here on behalf of the organisation S.H.I.E.L.D." The man looked at her and started to shake his head.

"No. You can go back and tell that asshole that I refuse to be a part of whatever scheme he has cooking." Elle let out a laugh.

"I did; it didn't go over well though. The aforementioned asshole decided to send me out here thinking that you might 'Hulk out'. No offense intended, Doctor Banner." This had the Doctor staring her directly in the eyes, his posture tense.

"'Hulk out'? He was hoping the Other Guy would make an appearance?! Does he realise what could have happened to you?" He shook his head, confused and angered. That is, until he noticed that the woman had remained where she was as he stood up and paced about. "You're completely at ease with being here." He stated, noticing her genuinely at ease. "Aren't _you_ worried that I might 'Hulk out'?" His smile was wry.

"I know that you have a mutual understanding with the Hulk."

"How do you know that then?"

"I wouldn't be here if you didn't." The Doctor shook his head.

"What does Fury want?"

"I honestly don't know. I've heard whispers here and there. It's most likely got something to do with the Norse God Thor. I'm certain you've been following the news." She said, nodding to the direction of the television set. "We have visitors from a galaxy far, far away. I'll see you in New York Doctor. It was an absolute pleasure to meet you. Tell Hulk that I look forward to meeting him too at some stage."

''

"Where the hell is Stark?! I told you to get him Agent." Fury all but screamed at the woman.

"What did I miss?" Tony Stark asked, sauntering into the room, oozing self-importance. "Ellie-bellie, my gorgeous Little Love! Where have you been? My life has been empty since you left, disappearing without a trace."

"Gone with the wind, Tony: my specialty" She replied, and Tony smirked, placing an arm over her shoulder and squeezing her into his side.

"I love you Ellie; I truly, madly, deeply do." He emphasized his declaration, planting a kiss to the Elemental's cheek. "Now that the life of the party is here," he said, looking around the room, "what are we here for Director?" Steve Rogers was not impressed, not in the slightest. He was certain that he was about to explode. Ellie, _his_ Ellie, was in the arms of a suave, super-rich and egotistic man. He frowned at how comfortable the woman seemed to be. He made eye contact with the Doctor, the one who studied 'Gamma Radiation'. They shared a look.

"Sit down, now." Fury commanded. Elle rolled her eyes and did as she was told, removing Tony's arm and taking a seat by Steve. He stood, as any well-raised gentleman would, waiting for her to be comfortably seated and pushing in her chair before taking his seat once again.

"Always a gentleman, Steve." She said, grinning at the Super Soldier.

"No speaking Agent." Fury snapped at her. She sent the Director a tense smile and was about to retort when she felt Steve's hand on hers. She took a breath and remained quiet. "Now as you all know we have some visitors to this planet. These visitors are after something called the Tesseract. Under no circumstance can they get their hands on this technology. It holds a power none of you could even begin to imagine. In the wrong hands, in the hands of the enemy, nothing but chaos and destruction will occur. We can't risk the lives of innocents and we sure as hell can't risk the entire planet falling to these invaders."

"So you want a Super Hero team to guard a box?" Tony asked. His only reply was a glare.

"You have your folders with your mission. I want you all in here tomorrow. We don't know what the enemy is capable of so be alert. Agent Elle, stay behind. The rest of you, dismissed." Both Tony and Steve hesitated at the door, neither willing to allow the Elemental to be by herself. Elle nodded to them, assuring them that she'd be alright. They conceded, walking down the hall and leaving the two to speak.

"What is that you want, Director?"

"You're the sacrifice." The man said. Elle raised an eyebrow. "Any sign of danger to any one of them: you step in and you take the blow. Understand?"

"I understand."

"You're not to breath a word about your mission to anybody. Leave."

"I'd say 'See you later' but I might not make it until then." Fury smirked.

"With a little bit of luck." He replied. Elle was almost out the door when she called out to the Director.

"Oi, Fury: fuck you." She flipped him off and walked out the door.

''

"One of our Agents has been compromised." Elle could not stop her own reply to the Director's words.

"And can I just say what a brilliant start we have had to the Avengers Initiative." Fury wisely decided to ignore the woman, focusing on the matter at hand.

"How is this possible? Agent Barton would do none of this." Natasha spoke up in defense.

"He is being controlled by a man nam-"

"A Norse God by the name of Loki. Actually, he's a demi-God isn't he? Or do I have my mythology all wrong? Wait, he's not even. He's some mixed breed of dark Elf or something." Fury twitched at the Elemental's interruption.

"Loki is the brother of Thor Odinson."

"The man with the hammer?" Steve questioned. Fury nodded.

"Yes. Loki has magical abilities and seems to be set on world domination."

"Why Earth? I mean, yes I inhabit the planet, which says quite a lot, but aren't there better places to plunder and enslave? Why not Naboo?" Elle shared a smirk with Tony as the billionaire finished his spiel.

"We must get the Tesseract back."

"At all costs?" Elle questioned.

"Our aim is to reclaim the stolen item, as well as reclaim our own. Agent Barton is not to be killed."

''

 **Authors Note:** The microwave was first invented in the 1940's. However, it was six feet tall and more of an oven than anything. I felt the need to put that here in case people try to refute the fact that Steve Rogers did not know what a microwave was. Anyway, uh now that I've gotten that out of my system, I hope you enjoyed. Oh, by the way, I don't have a grudge of some kind or even a dislike against Nick Fury, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. I just wanted to write him as an arsehole. It was fun to do!


End file.
